A Pharmaceutical Phenomenon

It’s January, often a quiet month for exploring our county, but I have found you a warm, welcoming and wonderful place for a visit, Jeyes of Earls Barton.

The Jeyes family passion for botany, pharmacy and the discovery of remedies dates back to 1635, with the first recorded John Jeyes. This passion has continued to today, with the family providing an unbroken line of apothecaries or chemists, remaining true to the family motto, ‘tenax et fidelis’, or ‘steadfast and faithful’ to the profession of pharmacy serving the people of Northamptonshire.

In the 19th century, the Victorian Jeyes brothers, Philadelphus and John, began their pharmacy business in The Drapery, Northampton. In addition to providing remedies, their inventive pursuit of the sanitary led to the development of the world renowned Jeyes Fluid in 1870. This wonder product received a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria, which it still holds today. The fluid proved its worth during the First World War, cleansing and disinfecting in the most arduous of circumstances. Of course it is still an outdoor staple today, with a slightly changed formula.

The Philadelphus Jeyes pharmacy at The Drapery continued until 1969, eventually moving to Earls Barton under the management of Philadelphus’s great grandson, David Jeyes, and his wife Georgina.

The energy and enthusiasm of the family is still in evidence. A village pharmacy sees most of the community at some time or another, and Jeyes has become a real focal point for people to meet and reminisce. The pharmacy has grown to incorporate an award winning cafe, and two delightful exhibitions, the Jeyes Heritage and Pharmacy Museum, and the Earls Barton Museum of Village Life. Managed by a team of village volunteers and the indefatigable Georgina Jeyes, the exhibits tell wonderful stories about life in the village, and the life and work of the pharmacy and the Jeyes family.

The old chemists cabinets are full of the memorabilia of bygone days, as well as that of the famous Jeyes Fluid. Each item tells a tale - Georgina showed me some of the donations made to her ever growing collection, including the notebook of a young man apprenticed to Queen Victoria’s pharmacist. Amongst many formulae, It includes that for ‘Her Majesty’s Dentifrice’ royal toothpaste, recorded in the most beautiful copperplate hand. There is also the prescription book for a wealthy sporting gentleman, showing nearly 60 years of treatments. Alarmingly it seems he was prescribed arsenic occasionally, along with rosemary oil.

It was not so long ago that we all used chemists to develop our photographs, and Jeyes was no exception to this. There’s a great collection of cameras, and my favourite, a fascinating collection of old photograph albums to leaf through. The Village Life section focuses on the village’s main industry, shoemaking. You can explore how the villagers lived, worked and shopped.

The building also houses an exotic exhibition of glamorous footwear. Earls Barton was home to the real ‘Kinky Boots’ factory, and there’s a fabulous exhibition telling the story of how the need for ladies boots and shoes suitable for men to wear saved the business, at least temporarily. In contrast, one can also visit the Dolly Lodge, which stocks everything a dolls house owner might wish for. And also, last but certainly not least, the Little Shop of Celebrity Bears, featuring an incredible amount of Rupert the Bear memorabilia.

There truly is something for everyone to enjoy, along with a great cafe. And of course, don’t forget to pick up your prescription if you need one!

For more information please visit www.JeyesOfEarlBarton.co.uk